Telephone index



April 17, 1934. Dl BEAT-ry 1,955,573

TELEPHONE INDEX Filed Aug. zo, 1931 Patented Apr. 17, 1934 STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 20,

2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in a telephone index and it more especially consists of the features pointed out in the claims.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a simple and compact grouping of interhinged sheets of equal length on which data lines may be printed; that has the successive sheets projecting in front of each other at the bottom and ending progressively the same distance from the top edge of the first sheet; that supports the rst sheet beyond its hinge against endwise movement; that successively hinges all the sheets at their upper edge by a single piece of gummed fabric; that enables one to raise all the sheets in front of the one desired by simply grasping the remaining sheets between the thumb and finger and pushing the grasped sheets endwise the forward sheet will automatically rise as high as desired; and that has alphabetical indicia printed on the exposed portion of the sheets at their bottom edges.

With these and other ends in view I illustrate in the accompanying drawing such instances of adaptation as will disclose the broad underlying features of the invention without limiting myself to the speciiic details shown thereon and described herein.

Figure l is a front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section of a desk stand adaptation.

In manufacturing my device I may use whatever alternatives or equivalents of structure that the exigencies of varying conditions may demand without departing from the broad spirit of the invention.

A plurality of same sized sheets l are assembled so that the top sheet, at the top projects above the second sheet, the second sheet above the third etc., and at the bottom the last sheet projects below the one in front of it etc., from sheet to sheet. All the sheets are the same lengths at the top and they are all secured to each other by a single piece of gummed fabric 2 which forms oiT-set hinges 3. A suitable suspension 4 is provided from the hole 5.

When the device is held against or by a xed object 6 the assembled sheets can be raised by grasping as many of the bottom projections as are desired and by simply pushing them endwise, as shown in Fig. 2, the sheets in front of the selected group are automatically raised to make visible the data on the first of the grasped sheets. Suitable data lines 7 may be printed on each sheet and alphabetical or other indicia 8 may 1931, Serial N0. 558,309

be printed on the visible areas of the projecting sheets at the bottom of the index.

If desired the index may be supported on a suitable base 9 to which it may be fastened at 10. The base is curved away at 11 to permit the projecting sheets being grasped between the thumb and first linger. In order to make this form of an index self supporting in the part that projects over the base 9, at 11, the first sheet may be of considerable stiiness.

What I claim is:

1. A manipulative index including a rst and second sheet of approximately the same length, the iirst sheet at the top projecting above the second sheet and its bottom edge being above the lower edge of the second sheet, a plurality of other sheets of approximately the same length successively assembled in similarly stepped relation to each other and to the second sheet, a unitary flexible member attached to the upper ends only of all the sheets on their under side and folded over onto the iirst sheet at its top edge said member constituting a separate hinge for each sheet the first sheet at its upper edge having an opening formed through such sheet and means cooperating with the upper edge of the rst sheet adapted to hold it against endwise movement as one or more selected sheets are grasped and pushed endwise so as to raise the sheets not so grasped thereby making visible the upper one of the one or more sheets that have been grasped.

2. In manipulative indexes, a plurality of similar length sheets assembled so that the front sheet extends above the second sheet, the second above the third, etc. throughout the entire group, a flexible member secured to the upper edges of all the sheets on their under side and folded onto the front of the rst sheet at its upper edge said rst sheet having an opening formed through it and the flexible member, and means cooperating with the opening for holding the rst sheet against endwise movement so that any group of unselected sheets will be raised as the selected sheet or sheets are pushed upward.

DEMPSTER BEATTY. 

